Success Story – Norman
Name and some identifying details have been changed
“During my time receiving support from Building Bridges, I have grown in confidence, secured self-employment work, a skills boot camp place, and a work experience placement. Thank you for all your support in helping me and encouraging me to believe in myself.”
Norman’s feedback on support received through the programme and from his Building Bridges Support Worker.
In March 2022 Norman* moved into a new home, hopeful of securing a remote job or a role involving a feasible bus commute to another local town. Despite applying for jobs, he was struggling to secure paid employment. Norman’s family suggested the Building Bridges Programme might be able to help him make progress towards his goals.
Norman joined the programme with the aim of securing employment. Norman had some barriers to employment including a lack of transportation (no car for medical reasons) and living in a rural location away from work sites. He also identified some social and communication challenges due to neurodiversity, mental health challenges, low self-esteem, low confidence and difficulty travelling independently on foot or via public transport due to anxiety.
Norman had gaps in his work history and no work-related references which employers seemed unwilling to overlook. His lack of interview experience was causing fear about how to approach the interview process, as well as a fear of strangers and potential rejection by employers.
Norman received a wide range of practical and emotional support from Building Bridges Support Worker Leoni which included regular meetings, employment skills development, signposting, speculative outreach, interview skills and confidence-building activities.
Norman has grown in confidence during his time with Building Bridges and has now secured self-employed work in an IT-related field. Norman has also secured a place at a core IT and cybersecurity boot camp and a work placement. In the future Norman aims to start his own business or secure full-time employment.
*Not his real name
“I want to thank you for the impact you had on Norman’s well-being. You clearly built a very positive relationship of trust with him; he doesn’t share his thoughts and feelings with many people, but he was very comfortable talking with you and opening about his concerns and anxieties. In fact. I think you’ve played quite a unique role in his life, in instilling confidence in him.
I appreciated how you pushed him little by little out of his comfort zone, so that he gained the courage and skills to go out to meetings in various locations, navigating his route and overcoming the anxiety that has tended to keep him housebound. In this way I feel that you’ve been preparing him for the logistics of working outside the home.
Thank you for your amazing support of Norman. You see his potential, you’ve advocated for him, and you’ve believed in him. It’s really helped his self-esteem and resilience.”
Feedback from Norman’s mum